UPDATE ON EBOLA
October 31, 2014
As the global Ebola outbreak persists, the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued significant guidance to air carriers regarding Ebola and how passengers who are suspected of having the disease should be handled. Many countries, including the United States, UK, Canada, France and the Czech Republic have also begun actively screening passengers traveling from the West African nations affected by Ebola – Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone. In the U.S., screenings began this month at the John F. Kennedy International Airport, Washington Dulles International Airport, Newark Liberty International Airport, Chicago O’Hare International Airport and Hartsfield—Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
On October 15, 2014, the CDC issued updated guidance for Airline Crews, Cargo Personnel and Cleaning Personnel, which is available here: https://www.cdc.gov/quarantine/air/managing-sick-travelers/ebola-guidance-airlines.html.
In addition:
- Remember that under U.S. Department of Transportation rules, airlines are permitted to deny boarding to air travelers with serious contagious diseases that could spread during flight, including travelers with possible Ebola symptoms. This rule applies to all flights of U.S. airlines, and to direct flights (no change of planes) to or from the United States by foreign airlines.
- When providing direct care to a sick traveler who came from a country with an Ebola outbreak, wear a surgical mask (to protect from splashes or sprays), face shield or goggles, and protective apron or gown. Treat all body fluids as though they are infectious. Ebola spreads through direct contact with body fluids – it does not spread through the air like flu.
- Airplanes traveling to countries affected with Ebola should carry Universal Precaution Kits, as recommended by ICAO for managing ill travelers.
- If in-flight cleaning is needed, cabin crew should follow routine airline procedures using personal protective equipment available in the Universal Precautions Kit. If a traveler is confirmed to have had infectious Ebola on a flight, CDC will conduct an investigation to assess risk and inform passengers and crew of possible exposure.
- Any airline crew, cleaning, or cargo personnel who think they were exposed to Ebola either through travel, assisting an ill traveler, handling a contaminated object, or cleaning a contaminated aircraft should notify their employer immediately and self-monitor their health for 21 days, paying particular attention to possible symptoms of Ebola: fever (temperature of 101.5°F/38.6°C or higher), severe headaches, muscle pain, diarrhea, vomiting, stomach pain, unexplained bleeding or bruising.